Veracruz

Veracruz is where Mexican coffee began. Coffee landed here at the end of the 18th century, and the state’s mountains, around Coatepec, Huatusco and Córdoba, still grow about a quarter of Mexico’s crop. Its arabica has been protected as Café Veracruz since 2000, and its growers have won more national quality prizes than any others.

The short version

• Where Mexican coffee began, at the end of the 18th century.
• About a quarter of Mexico’s crop: 24.8% in 2024/25.
• Café Veracruz: arabica above 750 m, a denomination of origin since 2000.
• Ten regions, from Huayacocotla in the north to Los Tuxtlas in the south.
• Five of the first six Cup of Excellence Mexico titles.

What does Veracruz coffee taste like?

The Café Veracruz declaration describes high acidity, an intense aroma, a spicy flavour and appreciable body, which it puts down to the state’s deep volcanic soils, humidity all year round and cloudy winters, and credits the plantations’ altitude and the tradition of fermenting freshly pulped coffee for its distinctive acidity. The newspaper Excélsior adds a velvety body and notes of caramel, hazelnut and red fruit for coffee grown under Veracruz’s cloud forest. The central coffee belt lies at 700–1,400 metres, says Gustavo Ortiz Cevallos of the Universidad Veracruzana.

Where is it grown?

In 82 municipalities and 842 communities, in ten coffee regions, according to the Universidad Veracruzana, citing Pronatura:

Zone	Regions
North	Huayacocotla, Papantla
Centre	Atzalan, Misantla, Coatepec, Huatusco, Córdoba, Zongolica
South	Tezonapa, Los Tuxtlas

The main varieties are arabicas: Typica, Bourbon, Mundo Novo and Caturra, among others. Many farmers grow cacao and vanilla among their coffee.

How much coffee does it grow?

About a quarter of Mexico’s:

Measure	Figure	Source
Share of Mexico’s crop, 2024/25	24.8%	SIAP, via La Crónica
Coffee cherry, 2021	229,998 t (24.4%)	SIAP
Area	145,211 ha planted (2021)	SIAP
Area	About 139,000 ha	Universidad Veracruzana
Producers	About 86,000	Universidad Veracruzana, citing Pronatura

Small farms dominate: 95.5% are under 3 hectares, and some of their owners are Nahua, Totonac and Popoluca people, the university says. Veracruz also grows robusta, second only to Chiapas, and its robusta harvest was hit by heavy rain in 2025, USDA says.

Café Veracruz

The denomination of origin was declared in 2000 for 82 municipalities. Its official standard, NOM-149-SCFI-2001, covers arabica grown above 750 metres and grades it as Prima Lavado, Extra Prima Lavado, Altura and Estrictamente Altura, with a special grade for the giant-beaned Maragogype.

The prize winners

Veracruz has the best competition record in Mexico. Its coffees won five of the first six editions of Cup of Excellence Mexico, from 2012 to 2018, the university reports: the first winner was Artemio Zapata of Fincas El Suspiro in Coatepec, and the 2017 winner Rodolfo Jiménez López of Finca El Equimite in Naolinco.

When is it harvested?

Mexico’s main harvest runs from about November to April, SIAP says.

Veracruz and other Mexican origins

• Coffee in Mexico: the whole country, its harvest and its history.
• Puebla: the Sierra Norte, Mexico’s highest-yielding coffee land.
• Chiapas: Mexico’s biggest coffee state.